If you truly want to ensure a great pregnancy,
you should work on keeping a healthy and positive physical, mental and spiritual
state. There is substantial evidence which suggests that a mother's physical and
mental wellness during pregnancy can affect not only the outcome of their
pregnancy but the well being of their child later in life. You relationship with
your baby begins at the moment of conception.
There are many things aside from physical factors that can impact your
pregnancy. Stress is one of the more common problems many pregnant mothers face
at some point during their pregnancy. While stress in and of itself isn't always
bad, prolonged stress can be damaging to a pregnancy. Most people associate
stress that is harmful during pregnancy with physical labor. However, emotional
stress may be just as damaging. Stress actually causes certain hormones in the
body to be produced, and some scientists have suggested that these hormones can
promote miscarriage or even bring on pre-term labor.
The best thin you can to do to ensure the well being of your baby is to
minimize both physical and emotional stress as much as possible. Here are some
stress reducing tips you can engage in during your pregnancy to promote a happy
and healthy outcome:
Accept the fact that you are pregnant. Some women stress because they thrive
on working a very demanding schedule, and attempt to continue to do so
throughout their pregnancy. At some point or another however your pregnancy will
catch up with you, and you will need to slow down a little bit. Rather than see
this is as a burden, consider this a great time to prepare yourself for the life
you are about to bring into the world. Take some time to pamper yourself a bit
and give yourself more time for rest and relaxation during the week. This can be
time that you spend just with yourself and your baby, without having to share
with the world around you.
Give up some control. Having a baby changes everything. If you are the type
of person that likes to be in control, keep in mind that there are many things
related to pregnancy and child raising that will be out of your control. You
won't for example be able to sail through pregnancy without any aches and pains
(unless you are extraordinarily lucky) but you can work to minimize them. You
may have other symptoms such as fatigue and nausea that don't go away. Some
women have to go on bed rest during pregnancy. Simply recognizing however that
some things are not under your control will help you get a better grip on your
pregnancy and arm you to face the challenges that lie ahead.
Expect the unexpected. You just never know what will happen when you are
pregnant. Your baby for example, might decide to come a few weeks early. You may
find that midway through your pregnancy your physician recommends bed rest. If
you prepare for the unexpected ahead of time however, when it happens it won't
seem like such a challenge and you will be better prepared to handle it.
Maintain close ties with friends, family and loved ones. Pregnancy is an
emotional time. The more people you have around you to lean on, the less likely
you will be to feel stressed.
Accept help. Let people know when you can use a hand. You don't have to
manage everything alone during pregnancy. If people offer to help you out and
relieve some of the burden you are facing, be glad that there are people around
you that love you enough to help out.
Another important thing to consider during pregnancy is communication. It is
particularly important that you keep the lines of communication open with your
partner during pregnancy. Remember that pregnancy is a very emotional time, and
many women act in ways they would not ordinarily during their pregnancy. Don't
assume that your partner is a mind reader. This assumption has negatively
impacted many relationships. If you have concerns, anxiety, feel sad or are even
angry, be sure you share your feelings with your loved ones. Let people know
what you are experiencing physically and emotionally and how it is affecting
you. This will help them understand where you are coming from, and will help
them learn the best way to help you during your pregnancy.
If you haven't considered a prenatal massage already, you should during your
pregnancy. Prenatal massage can be particularly helpful during the third
trimester when your body is feeling burdened by the heavy load it is carrying.
There are many qualified practitioners that offer prenatal massage in medical
offices, chiropractic offices and even in traditional spa settings.
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